FRANK Langella (Frost/Nixon) gives a towering performance as the pensioner given a robot as a carer.
Man hates machine, but as Frank gets to know his little steel helper better, he realises that retirement might not be so dull after all. With its sly wit, gloriously curmudgeonly hero, A-list cast (Susan Sarandon also stars), and urge to surprise, Jake Schreier's moving and funny comedy drama is a tonic for the troops, whether Frank's age or not.
Side by Side (15)
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Dir: Christopher Kenneally
Runtime: 99 minutes
KEANU REEVES dons the beanie hat of investigative journalism and wades into the film versus digital debate. It sounds dry, but when you have James Cameron and Christopher Nolan arguing the merits of each, with clips, it makes for an engaging documentary. It's also an excellent guide to the history, and future, of moviemaking.
Filmhouse, Edinburgh, tomorrow-March 11.
Oz the Great and Powerful (3D) (PG)
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Dir: Sam Raimi
With: James Franco, Michelle Williams
Runtime: 130 minutes
DEPENDING on how much of a fan you are of the 1939 classic, this prequel will either be sacrilege or a harmless spin on familiar material. James Franco stars as a circus magician who finds himself swept into a tornado and delivered to the land of Oz. Raimi delivers thrills, a dazzling palette, and some laughs, but even with Michelle Williams, Rachel Wiesz and Mila Kunis, one remains underwhelmed.
Gangs of Wasseypur 1 & 2 (15) (18)
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Dir: Anurag Kashyap
With: Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadda
Runtime: 106 minutes; 159 minutes
ANURAG Kashyap's Indian crime saga is Godfather-like in sweep and, in its second part especially, stands comparison with Scarface for screen violence. But this tale of warring gangs, ambitious fathers and vengeful sons is quintessentially Indian in its vibrancy. Crime sagas just got interesting again.
Part one: DCA, Dundee, March 9, Eden Court, Inverness, March 18 and 20. Part 2: DCA, March 10, and Eden Court, March 27 and 28.
Fire with Fire (15)
H
Dir: David Barrett
With: Bruce Willis, Josh Duhamel
Runtime: 97 minutes
DAVID BARRETT'S too-bad-for-even-the-DVD-remainder-bin actioner has Josh Duhamel as Jeremy, a firefighter who incurs the wrath of a neo-Nazi gang boss, and Bruce Willis as the weary cop trying to protect Jezza from harm. If all that sounds too ludicrous, wait till the dialogue comes along. Flaming nonsense.
Parker (15)
HH
Dir: Taylor Hackford
With: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Nolte
Runtime: 118mins
JASON Statham's latest release is one of his weaker efforts despite the presence of a solid support cast and an Oscar-winning director.
Based on the novels by Donald E Westlake and a character that has already seen the light of day in Point Blank and The Outfit, albeit with a different name, Parker finds Statham as a career thief who discovers that he has been double crossed by his latest crew. When they head to Palm Beach for their next score, Parker follows to seek revenge with the help of a plucky estate agent (Jennifer Lopez).
Directed by Taylor Hackford and boasting an ensemble which includes Nick Nolte, Parker promises more than it delivers. The story plods (especially when Lopez is on the screen), the action is average and Statham struggles to handle some of the more character-driven elements.
Reviewed by Rob Carnevale
Broken (15)
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Dir: Rufus Norris
With: Tim Roth, Eloise Laurence
Runtime: 90 minutes
RUFUS Norris's coming-of-age tale features a real star of tomorrow in Eloise Laurence (below left), a youngster who is caught between warring neighbours. Tim Roth is the father who tries to play peacemaker as events threaten to cartwheel out of control. Based on the best-selling novel by Daniel Clay, this is British movie making at its home cooked and bold best.
The Guilt Trip (12A)
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Dir: Anne Fletcher
With: Barbra Streisand, Seth Rogen
Runtime: 95mins
BARBRA Streisand and Seth Rogen play mother and son for this road movie comedy that stalls pretty much from the very outset.
Based around a very shaky premise (that a mother would name her own son after the love that got away), hopeful inventor Andrew (Rogen) decides he will take his irritating Jewish mum Joyce (Streisand) on a cross country road trip in the hope of reuniting the two lovebirds. Dan Fogelman, who struck comedy gold with Crazy, Stupid, Love, based his script around his own experience of a journey with his mother and, to be fair, produces a couple of nice moments between his leading duo.
But overall, The Guilt Trip is thin on laughs, light on drama and way too contrived.
Reviewed by Rob Carnevale
Promised Land (15)
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Dir: Andrzej Wajda
With: Wojciech Pszoniak, Andrzej Seweryn
Runtime: 150 minutes
FIRST released in 1975 and nominated for best foreign film, Andrzej Wajda's whirling indictment of capitalist greed has now been given a re-release as part of the Kinoteka Polish Film Festival. A tale of three grasping young men out for all they can get in nineteenth century Lodz, Wajda's picture creaks in places, but what it lacks in smoothness it makes up for in spirit. Also showing is Baby Blues, Katarzyna Roslaniec's drama about teen pregnancy.
Kinoteka, Filmhouse, Edinburgh, March 11-13
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